Formula 1: Lando Norris wins chaotic Australian Grand Prix; Verstappen P2, Russell P3

Lando Norris conquered a rain-hit and crash-filled Australian Grand Prix, securing his first-ever victory at Albert Park while holding off a charging Max Verstappen in a tense season opener.

The McLaren driver, who started from pole, delivered a masterclass in wet-weather racing, as Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the podium on a day filled with safety cars, pit gamble misfires, and heartbreak for several drivers.

“It was amazing. Tough race, especially with Max behind me,” Norris said after securing his fifth career win. “I was pushing, especially in the last two laps. It was a little bit stressful, not going to lie. This time we got it right and ended on top, so I’m happy.”

Norris’ triumph ended Verstappen’s two-year dominance atop the championship standings, marking the first time since May 2022 that the Red Bull driver has not led the title race.

While Norris celebrated, his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri saw his home race dreams shattered. The Australian, who started second, initially fought back against Verstappen but was ultimately ordered to hold position by McLaren. A late-race skid into the gravel sealed his fate, pushing him down to ninth place.

Red Bull opted to leave Verstappen on worn tyres longer than expected, hoping the rain would ease. However, the Dutchman was eventually forced to pit, likely costing him a stronger challenge for the win.

“It was quite spicy on the slick tyres. It was alright in the end,” Verstappen said post-race. “This is where I expected to be. In the first stint we were lacking a bit of pace to the McLaren.”

Lewis Hamilton’s first race for Ferrari ended in frustration, with the seven-time world champion finishing 10th, two spots behind Charles Leclerc.

“It was very tricky and it went a lot worse than I thought it would go,” Hamilton admitted. “I’m just grateful I kept (the car) out of the wall because that’s really where it wanted to go most of the time.”

Meanwhile, Williams had a reason to celebrate, with Alex Albon promoted to fourth after Mercedes’ 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli dropped to fifth following a five-second penalty for an unsafe pit release.

The chaotic conditions resulted in multiple crashes, forcing three safety car deployments:

    •    Pre-Race Incident: F1 debutant Isack Hadjar’s race ended before it even began, crashing during the formation lap.

    •    Lap 1: Australian rookie Jack Doohan crashed his Alpine, forcing an early safety car deployment.

    •    Safety Car Misfortune: Carlos Sainz spun out at turn 14, compounding a tough debut for Williams.

    •    Lap 16 Shake-Up: Verstappen locked up, allowing Piastri to briefly take second, but McLaren instructed him to hold position behind Norris.

    •    Fernando Alonso Out: The two-time champion crashed at turn seven on lap 34, triggering another safety car.

    •    Late-Race Drama: Liam Lawson (Red Bull) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) crashed in quick succession, bringing out a third safety car.

Though this set up a final showdown between Norris and Verstappen, the McLaren driver expertly defended his lead, securing a statement victory to kick off the season.

With McLaren proving they have the pace to challenge Red Bull, all eyes now turn to the next race in Shanghai.